"First day of senior year! Time to get up!" Dad comes into my room and pulls the covers off of me and opens the curtains so the small rays of the sunrise shine on my face.
I groan, turn to lay on my stomach, and pull the covers over my head. "Five more minutes," I mutter to him.
"You said that five minutes ago, now let's go!" Dad says, pulling the covers off of me once more and starts dragging me out of the bed.
"No!" I whine as I try to fight back with little effort. My body hits the floor and Dad lets go of me. I don't even open my eyes. I just lay there on the floor, preparing to go back to sleep.
I hear Dad sigh. "I told you not to stay up late playing video games with Tony and Clint."
"So worth it though," I mumble.
I feel Dad pick me up and place me on my feet. He keeps his hands on my shoulders to steady me as I rub my eyes and yawn. I groan as I speed away to my bathroom, stumbling all over the place and even running into the sink. I get ready within seconds and meet Dad where I left him at, right by my bed. The two of us walk into the kitchen in silence as I search the fridge for food.
Tony waltzes in, looking like crap. He has visible dark circles under his eyes and his eyes are bloodshot red. In all honesty he looks like he hasn't slept in days and like complete shit.
"Someone looks like shit," I say as I grab a plum from the fridge and close the door behind me.
"Language!" Dad yells and smacks the back of my head.
I roll my eyes at him as I rub my head and look at Tony. "Why are you up so early?"
"Couldn't sleep," Tony mumbles and walks over to the coffee machine. He smells of grease and oil so I assume he's been in his workshop all night and lost track of time like usual.
"Tony, I thought I told you and Clint to make sure (Y/n) goes to bed on time." Dad scolds the tiresome man that probably wasn't listening to a word he is saying.
"That was your first mistake, Capsicle," Tony says as he pours the coffee into a mug. "Trusting Clint and me to get a kid to bed on time."
I smirk. "He's got a point," I say and take a huge bite of my plum. "So technically this is all your fault." I motion my index finger towards Dad. Tony puts an arm around my shoulder, pulling me closer to him as he nods in agreement.
Dad rolls his eyes. "Whatever. Let's go or you'll be late." He says as he walks past the both of us and to the elevator.
"Bye Tony," I say as I hug the man and give him a kiss on the cheek. I finish the plum in my hand and throw the seed away.
"See ya, Squirt. Try not to get into any trouble!" Tony calls after me as I walk to the elevator where Dad is waiting for me.
"No promises. Besides, trouble tends to find me." I say, stepping into the elevator and stand beside Dad. Tony gives me a final wave before the elevator door closes. Dad and I stand in the elevator in silence as we descend slowly to the garage. Tony really needs to make this elevator faster. "Can I ask why you're driving me to school?" I ask, breaking the silence between us.
"Parents normally drive their kids to school." Dad shrugs. "I don't mind doing it. Gives me more time with you." He pinches my cheek.
I smile and swat his hand away. "Nothing about us is normal."
Dad nods in agreement. "This is the closest to normal we'll get." He says.
The elevator suddenly stops and the lights go off, leaving us in darkness.
"Is getting stuck in an elevator considered to be normal?" I ask sarcastically.
"Umm... no..." Dad says, slowly.
"TONY!" I yell at the top of my lungs. "ANTHONY EDWARD STARK FIX THIS GODDAMN ELEVATOR!" I feel around for the doors and bang on them, hoping someone will hear. I know Dad feels the same way right now which is why he doesn't say anything about my language. "Ugh!" I give one final bang before slumping down to the floor.
Dad tries to press the emergency call button, but it doesn't work. He then pulls out his phone, seeing he has no service, he uses it as a flashlight instead so we can have some light. He sits down beside me.
"We might be in here for a while," Dad says.
I scoff. "Ya think?"
Dad nudges my shoulder. "Lighten up, kiddo. I get to spend some time with my favorite daughter."
"I'm your only daughter." I chuckle. "Well good thing is I might miss first period which is anatomy and I feel like I'm gonna hate that class."
"It's a win-win for both of us." Dad smiles down at me.
I lay my head on his shoulder and smile up at him. "Hey Dad," I say to him as I close my eyes.
"Mmm."
"Can you tell me your story, again?"
I hear Dad smirk. "Yeah." I open my eyes and look up at him as he takes a deep breath before telling the same story he told me multiple times before. "I was born on July 4, 1918. I was always the scrawny kid everyone picked on and had lots of medical issues. The day I met Bucky was the best day of my life." I see Dad looking at the wall on the other side, but it was like he was in a whole other universe. "I was getting picked on by some of the bigger and healthier looking kids and Bucky... Bucky came over and stood up for me, told them to back off. Course they didn't and he had to kick their butts." Dad laughs, remembering the exact memory. "Even back then Bucky always had my back."
F L A S H B A C K
Steve's POV
"You okay." The boy that saved me asks and helps me to my feet.
"Yeah, thank you," I reply to him, dusting the dirt off my clothes. He holds his hand out and I shake it.
"The name's James Barnes, but you can call me Jimmy."
"Steve Rogers." I introduce myself.
Jimmy gives me a toothy smile. "Well Steve Rogers, you want to play with me?" Jimmy asks me.
"I thought you were playing with them." I nod my head in the direction of boys, waiting for him to come back.
Jimmy just shrugs. "They can wait." I smile and nod eagerly. Jimmy and I walk side by side and he puts an arm around my shoulder. "I think you and I will be great friends."
"Really?" I ask as I look at him with wide eyes. This came as a shock to me, considering nobody wanted to spend time with me.
"Yeah, best of friends." Jimmy nods. He stops walking and stands in front of me. He points at my chest. "Because you've got heart, and stand up for anything that's right. Don't change or let anyone tell you differently." He tells me.
I'm at a loss for words. I've never had anyone say anything nice to me before and honestly this is the longest conversation I had with someone that isn't my mom or teacher.
"T-thank you James," I say to him.
He nods and puts his arm around my shoulder again as we resume walking. "No problem. I'm with you until the end of the line, pal."
F L A S H B A C K O V E R
Your POV
I smile as Dad retells the story of how he and Bucky first met. Their friendship reminds me of me and Roy.
"Tell the part about how Bucky got his nickname," I say.
Dad laughs. "That's always my favorite part. It started the day I heard his mom holler at him for messing up his little sister, Rebecca's, drawings of ducklings that she had done after a trip to a farm which one of his cousins owned upstate. We were both muddy and he was running to get a clean pair of clothes before his mom could yell at him for messing up his only pair of unpatched pants. He tripped and got mud all over the drawing."
F L A S H B A C K
Steve's POV
"JAMES BUCHANAN BARNES!" Mrs. Barnes hollers, causing Jimmy and I both to jump. We both share a look of panic, knowing what was coming next. Jimmy rushes inside to his angry mom as I wait outside in my muddy clothes, hearing most of the commotion.
James comes out a few minutes later with his head hanging low, looking pretty upset. I hear him sniffle as he walks over to me. "Steve, I gotta tell Becca myself." James looks up at me and I can see tears brimming the corners of his eyes, threatening to fall, but he doesn't let them. "Mama said she'll probably cry, but it's not like I did it on purpose," James says, sadly. "I gotta find her, so I can't keep playing. I'll see you after school tomorrow, Steve."
"Bye Jimmy," I say to him as he walks past me with his head hanging low.
The rest of that day I've been pondering how I was gonna tease Jimmy about his name being after one of the presidents we learned about in school. I think about what would be funny to say to him tomorrow when he's less upset.
The next day I still didn't come up with anything clever to say. I follow Jimmy home and we do our homework at the Barnes' big table as usual. Becca comes up to us about an hour later while we're still working hard on our work.
"Jimmy!" Becca cried. "You gotta come play with me!"
"Becca, I have to finish my work with Steve and then we were gonna play stickball over on the next block. I don't got time to play with you today." Jimmy says to his little sister.
"But you promised!" Becca whines. "You said it in front of Mama too. You said you would be a ducky when I was playing farmhouse!"
At this point I started laughing. I finally found something clever to say and it wasn't even about the fact that Buchanan is his middle name.
Becca and Jimmy look at each other before looking at me, clearly confused.
"Steve," Jimmy starts, cautiously, "you okay?"
I couldn't breathe at this point and had to gasp out between laughs, "B-Bucky. Your new name is Bucky."
"What?" Bucky says as he looks at his sister who just shrugs, not getting it either.
I take a minute to calm down before explaining. "I heard your mama hollering yesterday, Bucky," I say with a giggle. "And I never heard your middle name until then and I've been thinking about it all day yesterday and today since it's after a president hardly anyone remembers. I was trying to think of something clever to say about it, but then Becca did it for me. You ain't a ducky, but Bucky works." I say with a proud and mischievous grin. "Now that I'm thinking about it, it can be a nickname for Buchanan too," I say thoughtfully before going into a giggle fit.
Bucky just stares at me dumbfoundedly for a minute. "What on Ear-"
"I like it." Becca interrupts.
"What?" Bucky asks her with an incredulous look on his face.
"I said I like it," Becca says as she places her hands on her hips. "And you know what James Buchanan Barnes, I ain't calling you nothing else but Bucky from now on and you're gonna deal with it. You ruined my pictures of duckies and now you'll be my big brother named Bucky to make up for it!"
Bucky once again stares dumbfoundedly before turning over to me, who's trying to suppress my laughter. "Did I just get renamed? After baby ducks?" Bucky asks.
That's when Becca and I lose it. I fall out of my chair from laughing too hard. Mrs. Barnes comes into the room, coming back from the neighbor's apartment. She sees me laughing on the floor and Becca giggling as she's dancing around talking about the things she was gonna do with Bucky, then she sees Bucky at the head of the table with a stupefied look.
"Do I even want to know what happened while I was out?" Mrs. Barnes asks which sends me into another peal of laughter, earning a pleading stare from her son, and Becca running over and telling her mom about how Jimmy was now called Bucky.
F L A S H B A C K O V E R
Your POV
Dad and I sit there laughing after he tells the story.
"I love hearing that story. Gets me every time." I say through my giggles.
"I'm glad you like it," Dad says, recovering from his laughter.
The elevator lights turn back on and the elevator starts descending once again.
Dad looks up. "Looks like Tony finally got the elevator to work again."
I pull my phone out to check the time. "Well if we hurry I can make it to second period," I say to him.
He nods as we both stand up just as the elevator dings, opening up to the garage. We hop on the back of his motorcycle and drive off. I make it to school just as first period is over.
I hop off the motorcycle and hand Dad my helmet. "Thanks Dad," I say and kiss his cheek.
He smiles. "Have a great day, sweetie."
"It won't be great if I have to be here," I say and pat his head before I start walking to the school.
"Love you!" Dad calls after me.
"Love you more!" I yell back from over my shoulder. I look back and my nose collides with the door. "Argh!" I yell as I hold my nose.
Dad scurries off his motorcycle and rushes to me. He moves my hands away from my nose to examine it. He winces at the sight of it.
"How bad is it?" I ask.
"Uh... pretty bad." He says, trying not to stare at it. "And it looks broken."
"You know, this isn't my first time running into a door either. I think I broke my nose plenty of times doing that." I say, trying to lighten up the mood. I sigh. "It's gonna be a long day."
After getting my nose patched up, Dad leaves and now I'm walking around with a bandage across my nose. I walk in the hall and to my locker, unpacking my things.
"(Y/n)!" I hear the familiar call from my best friend Roy. I look up to see him rushing over to me. He winces once he gets a close up look at my nose. "What happened to you? Did you have to deal with some baddies before coming here?" He asks.
"No, I got stuck in the elevator with my dad and then I walked into the door just now for like the millionth time," I explain to him as I slam my locker shut with my foot since my hands are full of books I'll need for class.
Roy is about to say something, but then someone bumps into my shoulder from behind me, causing all my books to fall on the floor.
"Move it, nerd!" The bitch, Bethany, says. The two girls that are always with her snicker as they walk past.
I feel my blood boil and I clench my fist. Roy sees this and pulls me into a hug. "It's okay. She just wants a reaction." He runs his hands through my hair to calm me down.
(Play song here)
I hug him back and sigh into the crook of his neck. "I believe I'm a good person. You know, I think there's good in everyone, but— here we are! First day of senior year!" I say as I pull away from Roy. He helps me pick up my stuff and we start walking slowly to class as I continue. "And uh... I look around at these kids that I've known all my life and I ask myself—what happened?"
"Freak! Slut! Burnout! Bug-eyes! Poser! Lard-ass!" The other kids yell.
"We were so tiny, happy and shiny
Playing tag and getting chased." I sing.
"Freak! Slut! Loser! Shortbus!" The cast sings.
"Singing and clapping, laughing and napping
Baking cookies, eating paste" I continue to sing.
"Bull-dyke! Stuck-up! Hunchback!"
Roy decides to take over at this part. "Then we got bigger, that was the trigger
Like the Huns invading Rome." Roy then bumps into someone by accident. "Oh, sorry!" He says to them as they roll their eyes and give him a murderous glare. Honestly Roy could kick their ass in two seconds or even slice them up with his katanas. He just ignores the look and continues singing. "Welcome to my school, this ain't no highschool
This is the Thunderdome."
"Hold your breath and count the days, we're graduating soon." I sing this time.
"White trash!"
"College will be paradise if we're not dead by June!" Roy steps in.
"But I know, I know, life can be beautiful
I pray I pray for a better way
If we changed back then, we could change again
We can be beautiful..." I sing.
"Ow!" A kid cries out as him and Roy bump into each other head-on and the kid falls on his butt. What is up with Roy bumping into people, but then again I don't have a say because I walked into a frickin' door.
"Just not today!" I continue.
Roy goes over to the guy and picks up his books. "Hey, are you okay?" He asks him.
"Get away, nerd!" The kid says and snatches his books from Roy before walking down the hall.
"Oh, okay," Roy mumbles to himself, completely confused.
"Freak! Slut! Cripple! Homo! Homo! Homo!" The cast sings.
I pat Roy on the back and try to reassure him. "Things will get better, soon as our letters
Comes from Harvard, Duke, or Brown
Wake from this coma, take our diploma
Then we can blow this city
Dream of ivy-covered walls and smoky French cafés."
I jostle into Bethany. When the fuck did she get here?
"Watch it!" She calls out to me and gives me a look, one that I reciprocate.
"Fight the urge to strike a match and set this dump ablaze!" I say through gritted teeth.
"But I know, I know...
I know, I know...
Life can be beautiful" Roy's the one trying to reassure me now.
"Beautiful" I sing.
"I pray, I pray
I pray, I pray
For a better way" Roy continues.
"For a better way"
"We were kind before"
"Oooh..."
"We can be kind once more"
"Oooh..."
"We can be beautiful..."
"Oooh... Beautiful..." I hold the note, but then someone claps my shoulders from behind, causing me to jump. "Agh!" I turn around to see it was Peter. He smiles, feeling accomplished that he scared an Avenger. Ned and MJ are on either side of him. "Hey Peter."
"Hey." Peter greets.
Ned beams at us. "Dude, I can't believe you scared an Avenger!" He geeks out.
I smile at them. "He's lucky I didn't sonic punch him," I say, giving Peter a look.
I see him gulp in fear. MJ sees it too and laughs at him. "Chill out, Parker. She's only kidding." MJ nudges his shoulder.
Peter laughs nervously as I continue to give him a look. I break the look and laugh at his face. The five of us start walking together to second period. Once again Bethany and her crew come by us. Seriously, why does this bitch keep following us? Can she just leave me be for one minute? Bethany and her crew walk by us but not before trying to spill water from the cup in her hands on my clothes. I see this coming because duh speedster, and move out of the way, but instead of the water hitting me or the floor, it hits Peter, making it look like he peed himself.
"Shit!" Peter curses because of the cold water and the fact that now he'll be teased since it looks like he pissed himself. He looks at Bethany and her crew as they laugh at him.
"Aw, looks like Parker had a little accident." Bethany coos and laughs as the three of them walk away.
"Ugh!" Peter clenches his fists. "Just great." He mutters as he looks down at his pants. "And did they have to make the water so cold." He dances around and squeezes his eyes shut from the cold sensation.
MJ doesn't say anything but just glares in the direction Bethany and her crew went off in.
"Why..." Peter says.
"Why do they hate me?" I sing.
"Why don't I fight back?" Roy sings next.
"Why do I act like such a creep?" Ned sings.
"Aww, Ned you're not a creep to me. You're the sweetest guy ever." I say to him. He blushes at my compliment.
"Why..." MJ sings this time.
"Why won't he date me?" I sing, sparing a glance at Roy, who's not even looking in my direction.
"Why don't I hit them?" Roy sings, changing the words to the song to match the situation.
"Why do I cry myself to sleep?" Peter sings.
We all stop singing and look at him.
"What?" He asks. "I thought we were just saying random things." He shrugs.
"Pete, do we need to talk?" I ask, my protective instincts for my sweet little bean kicks in.
Peter sighs heavily. "Maybe..." He mumbles, barely audible, but I hear it.
"Aww, come here," I say and bring him into a comforting hug. Nobody hurts my sweet little bean on my watch. None of them.
Roy starts singing again once Peter and I pull away. "Why..."
"Somebody hug me!
Somebody fix me!
Somebody save me!
Send me a sign, God!
Give me some hope, here!
Something to live for!" The five of us sing together.
Just then, the bell rings again, signaling that we're late for second period.
"Peter, Ned, MJ, Roy, (Y/n)!" A teacher yells at us. "You're all late! Detention for all of you!"
The five of us groan as we bow our heads down. "It's gonna be a long year." We all groan in unison.
So I searched up how Bucky got his nickname and found that. I found it pretty funny and just changed a few things so yeah... Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter though.
—ASE715